Strong Enough
by brittar43
Summary: Is Levy strong enough to make Gajeel return her affections? How will she gain that strength to finally tell her iron dragon slayer just how she feels? WARNING: Trigger Warning in a later chapter. Possibly some lemons in later chapters as well.
1. Chapter 1

I woke up this morning very anxious. It's been a few weeks since I've gone on a real job. Jet and Droy were beaten up pretty bad on our last one, while I managed to get out with just a few scrapes and bruises. Thanks to Wendy's healing, they've recovered from their various broken bones. Now they were just nursing their broken spirits, upset that I had to save them again. I've been doing translation jobs to keep myself entertained, but I was really in the mood for a good fight.

"Maybe I can get Lucy to spar with me?" I said to myself as I was choosing my outfit for the day. Instead of my usual sundress, I opted for a tight black tank top and some athletic shorts. They were a bit too short for my taste, but they were easy to move in and I still wanted that fight. With a black ribbon holding my hair out of my face, my outfit felt complete. Grabbing my bag and throwing on some orange running shoes, I left my house and headed to the guild with a skip in my step.

I opened the doors and walked in, looking around at everyone already there. Mira greeted me as was giving Cana another barrel, Gajeel and Lily looked my way and went back to their conversation, Wendy and Carla waved at me from their table. It was relatively empty since it was only ten in the morning. I noticed Lucy wasn't here yet as I walked up to the bar to order breakfast. She should be returning from her job today, I can wait.

"Good morning, Mira. Can I get my usual please?" I asked, putting the appropriate amount of Jewel on the counter. Mira simply nodded before going into the kitchen to start my order. I looked around for a place to sit when my eyes wandered over to Gajeel and Lily, both still talking. Who am I kidding? My eyes went there first. I smiled and walked over when I noticed Gajeel look my way.

"Good Morning, Gajeel, good morning, Lily." I said cheerfully, sitting across from the two and reaching to scratch Lily's right ear. He would never admit it, but that was his sweet spot. Lily returned my greeting as Gajeel simply grunted and looked away from me. I pulled out my book while waiting for my food, getting lost in its pages. It was a sappy romance novel, but I couldn't help being pulled into it as time went on. Sometime later, I was forced back to reality as Gajeel pulled the novel from my grasp. Mira had come over to place my food in front of me. She smiled and sashayed away. That woman is sexy in every way. I thought, watching her for a second before turning to my food.

"How can a shrimp like you eat a mountain of pancakes and stay a shrimp?" Gajeel asked, a slight smirk on his lips as he teased me. I huffed at him and counted the flapjacks in front of me, 7, just a bit more than my usual since I was expecting a good workout.

"I love pancakes, is that a problem? Besides, I need the fuel if I want to spar with Lucy later." I said, grabbing my fork and taking a big bite while not breaking eye contact with him. He just laughed as I munched happily, nothing could beat Mira's cooking.

"So, you're looking for a fight? I'll take ya on, Shrimp. Though I don't think you'd stand a chance. Gihee!" He laughed, settling back into his signature smirk in response to my glare. I chose not to respond and focused on my pancakes and steaming cup of English Breakfast tea, another favorite.

Just as I put the last bite in my mouth, Lucy and Natsu shuffled in the door, a good five feet apart as Happy flew behind them giggling. Natsu and Happy went to sit with Wendy and Carla as Lucy walked to the bar and dropped her hear on the counter. I picked up my dishes and walked over to my friend. She didn't pick up her head as I set my dishes on the counter.

"Good morning Lu!" I said cheerfully as I sat next to her. She peeked up but remained in her position.

"Good morning, Levy." She said dejectedly. She finally brought her head up to look at me, her face looked just as distraught and worn out.

"What's wrong?" I asked, seeing the pained look on my best friend's face. I've seen her upset after a mission, but not quite like this. Something big must have happened, and I wanted to know.

"It's complicated, can you come over tonight so we can talk? I'm going to go home and sleep. I hardly slept at all the past few days, and I am physically and emotionally drained." She answered. Just as I was about to respond, I saw her gaze slip passed me and a small grin taking over her frown before she looked back at me.

"Sure Lu, what was that look just now though?" I asked, looking behind me to see Gajeel and Lily deep in conversation, before turning back.

"I'll tell you tonight, I'll see you later!" She responded, getting up and practically running for the door. Whatever she had seen seemed to breathe new life in her. I stared after her for a second before sighing and returning to my sear, Gajeel and Lily stopped talking on my approach. I sat down slightly upset about not getting that fight I wanted, resigning myself to another day of reading and bantering with the dragon slayer in front of me.


	2. Chapter 2

"What's up with Bunny Girl? And what happened to your little sparring match?" Gajeel asked, looking at me over his beer.

"I didn't get a chance to ask her before she took off, and I'm not sure what's wrong with her but I'm going to find out tonight." I replied, sighing as I realized I'll need to exercise to account for all the calories I just ate. I glared at Gajeel thinking about how much he eats when he mostly sits around all day, and yet he never gains weight! I was slightly jealous of his metabolism.

Gajeel's POV

"What's that look for?!" I asked, after a slightly audible gulp. _Had she noticed when she was over there? Or maybe she heard Lily scolding me for staring?_ I was thinking, I could never read her like I could other people. My panic was replaced with relief as she just huffed and answered me.

"How come you can eat so much and not gain weight, even though you sit around all day? It's not fair! Now I have to go work out just to burn all the calories I just ate." She huffed again. I couldn't help but smirk at her expression.

"Being a dragon slayer has many benefits, Shorty. Including a fast metabolism and excellent... Stamina." I winked with the last part, loving how cute she looked when her face turned all red and flustered like that. I could look at that face for the rest of my life and never grow bored of it.

"Not to mention, we spar every morning." Lily threw in, moving to sit on her lap as she got comfortable.

"Even with sparring, you eat so much you should look more like Droy does these days." She grumbled, wrapping her arms around Lily and taking a moment to scratch his ear.

"My offer for a fight still stands, Shrimp. I did promise to make you big." I said, holding my beer glass up to hide the blush threatening my cheeks.

"Really?! That'd be great! Although I hope you'd go a bit easy on me, I don't want to end up like Jet and Droy did on our last job. Sparring would make me so happy though! Will you really, Gajeel?" She asked, her blush melting in place of excitement.

"Sure, why not? It'll be fun to see how easy I can beat ya. I'll even be nice and say no magic at first, so you can work on just hand-to-hand in case you'd ever need to fight an enemy without any magic power." I said smirking. Even though I tease her, I promised to keep her big, plus I know I can't always be able to protect her. God knows her two lap dogs can't. Her face lit up at my words, ignoring my teasing.

"When do you want to start?" She asked, bouncing in her seat and taking Lily with her. I just laughed as I watched her. _She really doesn't see how cute she is._

Levy's POV

I can't believe it! Gajeel is actually willing to help me get stronger! Jet and Droy just push me to the side most of the time, I only get to fight if they get beaten too much, granted that's been quite a bit lately. I hate standing on the sidelines while they fight, but they never listen to me.

"Let's go now. I've got nothing better to do." Gajeel said, almost sounding bored with the idea. I wasn't about to let his attitude get in the way of my excitement. I was going to get the fight I wanted, and it'd be with Gajeel too! I love spending time with him, even if all he does is tease me. Plus, he would definitely help me get stronger. I grinned at him.

"Sure! The training grounds work for you?" I asked him while I practically jumped out of my sear. All my bouncing had made Lily relocate but I didn't mind. I was gearing up for a good fight.

"Sure, we'll race there, the run will be our warm up. The last one there buys lunch. Deal?" Gajeel stuck his hand out as if to seal the deal. I shook, even knowing I'd lose. Gajeel was in far better shape than me, plus I had just eaten my weight in pancakes. I didn't mind, the translation jobs paid so well I could afford to feed him for two months and still pay my rent. Even knowing I'd lose the race, I was still going to give it my all, it wouldn't be training if I gave up at the very beginning. He smirked before letting go of my hand.

"GO!" He yelled as he got up and booked it to the doors. At some point, Lily had transformed to his battle form and was taking off after him. I didn't waste any time before I followed them out of the guild.

Twenty minutes later, I arrived at our designated spot, out of breath and holding my side. I sprinted the entire way even after losing sight of them within a couple minutes. After my breathing, had calmed and pain subsided, I jogged over to them.

"Looks like ya owe us lunch, Shrimp!" Gajeel said with a smirk. Was he ever not smirking? Maybe when he was scowling. I quickly agreed before stepping away for our fight. He grinned wider as he got into position, Lily stepping to the side to watch us.

He put his fists up to his chin and I mirrored him, even down to the grin. He stepped closer as I did, until we were a foot apart. He was winding up his first swing but I beat him to it, landing a blow to his ribs. I earned a slight huff before I dodged his fist, dancing back a bit with a triumphant laugh. He threw a right hook, aiming for my raised arms, but misjudged and hit the top of my head. I stumbled back, but recovered quickly. This wasn't my first fight.

"I forgot how short ya are, Shrimp!" He grinned, taking better aim before swinging once more. I blocked his hit with my arm, pain surging throughout the entire limb. I countered quickly with a blow to his unprotected jaw. My fist landed on one of his studs. I pulled back from the pain this time. He looked concerned and started to approach. I didn't want to seem weak though so I smiled and shook my head. He just nodded and we returned to trading blows. I avoided using my left hand as much as possible, and he was obviously pulling his punches. After another ten minutes of this, we parted.

"Maybe we should move onto using magic, that's my real weak spot. I run out too easily and need to expand my range of offensive spells." I suggested, putting my hands up. He looked at me for a second, considering it, before nodding in agreement.


	3. Chapter 3

"I agree, ya sure can pack a hell of a punch, but we should keep building all your skills. I'll even get rid of my studs next time to give ya more of a chance." He said, seriously. I couldn't help but perk up at his words. _Next time? Meaning he wants to do this again?_ I immediately voiced the last thought. He simply nodded again. "We can't get you big in one day, Shrimp." He grinned, moving back a bit and transforming his arm into a club. "Now, let's see what ya can do, Shorty!" He yelled before extending his club towards me. I put up a shield and threw some water at him. He paused for a second, confused. My attack had only managed to get him wet. He had covered his body in iron scales, expecting something more powerful.

"Is that the best you can do? You must be weaker than I thought." He laughed. All I did was smirk at him. He was just about to attack again before I put my hand up to cast my spell.

"Solid Script: Lightning!" I yelled, throwing my arm down to propel it towards him. His expression went from confident to surprised.

"Fuck!" He managed to yell while throwing his arms up. The shock sent him flying a couple feet, landing on his back. His black mane stood out in every direction as he laid there, dazed.

"Gajeel! Are you okay?!" I yelled, running up to him. He managed to sit up and look at me, Shack had given way to a mix of embarrassment for falling for it and awe that I managed to knock him on his ass.

"Holy Hell, Shrimp. That actually hurt! How about if I don't use my studs when we box, you don't try to electrocute me, deal?" He stuck out his hand to shake on it,

"Deal, now let's go see Wendy. I don't want to be responsible if you get brain damage." I took his hand, a jolt of electricity shooting up my arm, before I tried to help him up. Lily had to help me when I wasn't getting anywhere, my heels sliding in the dirt. We walked back to the guild while discussing plans for our next session.

"How about we meet at the grounds every morning at seven, we can get a few hours of training in before breakfast." He said, nonchalantly, looking down at me.

"That's so early… I'm never out of bed before nine, even later if I stay up the night before. But if this will make me stronger, I can get used to it." I grumbled as we got to the doors of the guildhall. We walked in, looking around for Wendy, before pulling her into the infirmary. She looked confused at Gajeel's frazzled appearance and my swollen hand before being filled in and getting to work. She only spent a minute on Gajeel and immediately moved to work on my left arm and hand.

"So Gajeel will be fine, but Levy you seem to have broken a couple fingers and fractured your ulna. The fingers will need a splint and you'll need to use a sling for the rest of the day. It should only take one more session after this to get you good as new." Wendy said as she pulled out the necessary supplies. I thanked her before looking at Gajeel.

"You managed to fight like that? You're tougher than you look, Shrimp." He said, quietly, before looking down at his hands. I watched his pained expression as Wendy wrapped up my fingers.

"What's wrong, Gajeel?" I asked after Wendy finished her work. Sensing the situation, her and Lily quietly left the room. I sat next to him and put my good hand on his cheek, forcing him to look at me.

"I hurt you again, I promised myself you'd never get hurt again, but look at what I did to you." He looked into my eyes, the pain and guilt evident on his face. He moved to turn away but I hugged him as best as I could manage, putting my head on his shoulder. I breathed in his scent as he began to relax.

"I knew going into that fight, that I could end up hurt. But if you tried to avoid hurting me, I couldn't get stronger. Besides, my hand was my own damn fault. The important thing is that I managed to put you on your ass." I giggled into his neck. He laughed quietly too, before burying his face in my hair. The action causing my cheeks to burn. "Come on Gajeel, how about I make us some lunch?" I asked, lifting my head and standing up.

"Okay, I'd like that." He nodded, standing up and smiling down at me. We walked back into the main hall to look for Lily before heading out. When we found him, he was digging into a pile of kiwis bigger than him.

"I got tired of waiting for you two, just go on without me. I'll take you up on your offer some other time." He said before gulping down another bite of his fruit. I looked up Gajeel, my stomach let out a growl at the prospect of food. Without thinking, I grabbed his hand and started pulling him to the door. His shocked expression made me realize my actions. I let go of his hand and raised my arm, bidding our friends goodbye as we walked out.

"My new place is this way. I moved there a few months ago, so I could have space to work and because my books started to overtake every inch of my room." I said, pointing him in the right direction. He merely grunted, not looking at me, as we began our walk. About ten minutes later, we arrived at my house, a modest steading on the outskirts of town. I unlocked the door and waved him inside. He looked around, whistling.

"Nice place you got here, Shrimp. Two bedroom?" He looked at me with the question. I nodded sheepishly.

"One of the rooms is functioning as a library, and there is even an office space where I can work. The kitchen is through here, and the living room is right there. Go ahead and relax while I cook. What would you like?" I asked him as he moved to sit down.

"Surprise me, I'll eat anything as long as it isn't vegan or pickled." He said, leaning his head back on the couch to look at me. I smiled and nodded. I'm not the best cook, but I have plenty of cookbooks. I walked into my kitchen and grabbed one from the shelf labeled "Cooking for the Meat Eater in Your Life". I thumbed through it before deciding on a recipe for steak tacos. I pulled out the necessary ingredients and began to prep a marinade for the slab of beef on my counter. When I finished the marinade, I grabbed a knife to cut the steak up, before realizing my one arm isn't enough. I started cursing under my breath, trying anyway.

"Need some help, Shrimp?" Gajeel suddenly appeared in the doorway, smirking at my efforts. I nodded, handing him the knife and moving to cook the tortillas. As soon as he finished cutting up the steak and putting it into the marinade, Gajeel moved to grate the cheese before I huffed at him.

"I'm supposed to be the one cooking, Gajeel." I shot him a glare, secretly thankful for his help. I couldn't help but notice that I was enjoying this scene, like we were playing house. He looked at me and smiled.

"I don't mind helping, I actually love to cook." He continued smiling, not his typical smirk, but a genuine smile that softened his sharp face. I realized I was staring at his lips before pulling my eyes back to his, noticing his gaze was sweeping over my body. I blushed, turning to start cooking the steak. After everything was done, we sat down and ate in silence. I loved his company and really enjoyed any time I could spend with him. Who was I kidding, I loved this man. I just wish he would love someone as weak as me back.

"Thanks for the grub, Shrimp. It was delicious. I should get going though, I promised Lily I'd meet up with his to go find these special kiwis." He said, standing up. I just nodded and followed him to the door. I needed to see Lucy anyway. He paused on the porch, like he was deciding what to say. After a minute, he finally spoke, looking into my eyes. "Remember, seven in the morning. We'll do some actual exercise too so wear something like that so you can move around. See ya, Shrimp." He pressed his forehead against mine for a second, his own unique form of embrace, before leaving. As I watched him disappear, I started walking to Lucy's. It was only a five-minute walk now which was nice because I was exhausted from today's events. When I arrived, she quickly opened the door and ushered me in. I sat down as she made tea.

"Levy, I need the cone of silence, I don't trust that our conversation won't have a couple of eavesdropping ears." She whispered, handing me my tea. I simply nodded before casting soundproof on all the walls, including the window and door. She looked around before yelling "Wendy could beat both Natsu and Gajeel in a fight!" We waited a couple of minutes and were satisfied nobody could hear us.

"So, what's wrong, Lu? And what was up in the guild hall?" I immediately got down to business. I've been curious all day and now was my chance to learn everything, even knowing I'd get questioned myself. She looked down, blushing, before steeling herself and looking up.

"Natsu kissed me, on our mission." She said quietly, suddenly not trusting the barrier from prying ears. I squealed and was about to question further before she continued. "I accidentally told him that I love him when we got into a hairy spot. But after he kissed me, he just kinda started ignoring me. Levy, what do I do to fix this? I don't want to ruin our friendship."

"Natsu's pretty dense so he's probably still coming to terms with his feelings. Everyone knows he's crazy about you, he just didn't realize how much he cared about you until you said something. Just give him time to come around, you know he will. Now what was with that smirk towards Gajeel earlier?" I pressed the question.

"Oh, that. Well, I couldn't help but notice Gajeel staring at you, particularly your ass. He looked like he was ready to eat you. When are you going to confess to him? I did so it's only fair." I just sat, shocked by her words. _Was he really staring at me?_


	4. Chapter 4

Gajeel's POV

As I walked home I was mentally kicking myself. _I almost told her. I almost kissed her!_ How could someone so perfect love a monster? Especially a monster that hurt her and her friends. I would be forced to hide my feelings from her, knowing a fairy could never be with a monster. As I was walking I heard a voice say my name, it sounded like Bunny Girl. I stalked over toward the sound, ending up at her window. The words were muffled, but I think I could hear the shrimp talking. I couldn't quite hear anything but I could make out 'tell Gajeel' and 'never love'. At that point I stopped listening, running back to my house to escape the words I fear were being said.

Levy's POV

The next morning, I woke up at five. Rolling out of bed and grumbling, I immediately went to make coffee. Even my excitement at training with Gajeel couldn't overcome my disdain for mornings. By six, I had drunk an entire pot and was finally back from the dead. I moved my attention to the day's outfit, my only clean shorts were even shorter than the other pair. They were orange with a white trim and down each side, they ended just below the curve of my cheeks. I paired them with another black tank top, I couldn't help but feel like Gajeel would like what I was wearing. It's cold outside now, but I knew I'd get hot later, so I threw on an oversized orange hoodie. Paired with my orange headband and running shoes, and I was ready.

I left my place at about six thirty, choosing a light jog to loosen up my muscles. Twenty minutes later and the training grounds were in view, but no Gajeel. Hiding my disappointment, I began stretching. I was reaching my hands down to my toes when I heard chuckling behind me. I snapped up to see Gajeel behind me, shirtless and in plain black shorts. _Damn, he's gorgeous…_

"Thanks for the view shrimp, I see you're all healed up." He said, smirking down at me. But for some reason, his expression looked forced… Maybe he's in a bad mood?

"T-thanks… Yeah, I saw Wendy again last night, she was with Chelia so I got a double whammy and the all clear. With a stern warning to avoid punching metal, no matter how infuriating it may be." I giggled, fighting back the warmth threatening my cheeks and choosing to tease back. His grin seemed less forced now.

"Good, let's get started then. Keep stretching for a few minutes and we'll move on to pushups. I want you beating my record before next month. It's 253 by the way." He said the last part with a wink. I simply nodded and went back to my prior activity.

"So, I think since I beat you here today, you owe me breakfast." I teased, stretching my legs.

"I can deal with that. Now let's move on. Do as many pushups as you can and then some." He said sternly, like I would have refused. I huffed at him before dropping to the ground. I managed ten before looking up at him, pleading with my eyes to move on. He just shook his head, so I tried to keep going. I got through ten more before collapsing. He just laughed. "Good, now on to sit ups." He said, as though he was bored. I immediately listened to him, knowing he wouldn't go easy on me. Besides, sit ups were easy for me, my short torso and lack of fatty weight on my chest made it easier. I easily knocked out 75 before I got tired. I beamed up at his dumbstruck face.

"Wow, Shorty, you're buffer than ya look." He said, shaking his head slightly. Then he turned his arm into a club and held it out over my head. "Try for 20 pull ups and we can move on to the fun part." He grinned as my face fell. I hated pulls ups. I managed 12 and looked up at him, catching my breath. "Come on, Shrimp. I said 20, I got all day." I just glared at him before suffering though the last set. "Good job, remember the motto 'no pain, no gain'. I'll let you rest while I go through my sets." He grinned down at me, I just sighed and fell down. I think he's seriously trying to kill me. At least, I'll get strong in no time. And then…

I sat watching him, he did 250 pushups exactly, 300 sit ups, and 200 pull ups. _Is he even human?_ I wondered before realizing he had made a pull up bar to use. _Why the hell did I have to use his arm?_ I didn't really mind, I loved the few moments I got to touch him. His skin was hard and rough from years and abuse, but it felt so right to me. As I was lost in thoughts of touching him more, he suddenly appeared in front of me. Causing a fierce blush on my face as I was yanked back to reality.

"Alright, ya ready to tussle?" He asked, grinning. I stared in shock as his studs sank into his flesh. He looked weird without them, I couldn't help but laugh when I got to the top of his face. "Oi! What's so funny?!" He yelled.

"I forgot you don't have eyebrows! I can't even tell if you're glaring or pouting!" I said between fits of laughter.

"Fine, those stay, not like ya can reach them anyway, Shrimp." He mumbled as his brow studs materialized again. I just giggled again, before finally removing my hoodie. I caught him staring this time as I threw my discarded clothing and turned to move away from him. I decided to play with him, sashaying just like Mira taught all of us girls to do to drive men wild.

When I turned back around he had a slight pink dusting his cheeks, before he cleared his throat. He brought his arms up, ready to begin. My fatigue melted away at my small victory and I followed suit. We began immediately, each matching a blow for a blow. Neither of us swinging as hard this time, turning from boxing to actual sparring.

Twenty minutes later found us moving to a magic duel. I stayed true to my word and instead focused on some ideas I had for new offensive tactics. I blocked his every shot, and he took mine in stride. I managed to get him with a well-timed water-ice combo, but he recovered quickly. By the time we were both exhausted, it was nearly noon. I was pleasantly surprised my magic lasted so long. We collapsed near each other for a minute to recover.

"You're already getting stronger, Shrimp. Now how about some food?" He rolled over to look at me and I smiled, nodding. We made our way to my place, something about Lily being home or having no food in his fridge, or something. I agreed so that I could bathe while he cooked. I was sore and sweaty and in desperate need of a good soak.

When we arrived, he went straight to the kitchen, while I beelined for my bathroom. I opted for a shower, knowing I'd fall asleep in the bath. I'll save the shower for tonight when he was gone. As I was toweling off, Gajeel knocked on the door.

"Food's ready, Shrimp. Hurry up before it gets cold." He said and then I heard his footsteps retreating to the living room. I wrapped my robe around my body and dashed into my bedroom to change. Knowing I'd be relaxing for the rest of the day, I picked my favorite orange sundress and headband. I walked out to see Gajeel already eating, a plate piled high was waiting for me. He made pancakes, eggs, bacon, and hash browns. I smiled, remembering out conversation yesterday. _He remembered._ I sat down and noticed my favorite mug sat to the side, steaming.

"What's that?" I asked, grabbing the mug and taking a sip. English breakfast, sweetened perfectly with a dash of cream. "How'd you know how to make my tea?" I asked, beaming at him. He merely shrugged.

"I'm observant, now eat up. The protein will help build your muscle up." He said before stuffing another bite in his mouth. I turned back to my food, grabbing my fork. I went for the pancakes first. He had made his own blueberry syrup and topped it with more of the fresh fruit. I swallowed my bite, tears forming in my eyes as I turned to him.

"What's wrong? Don't like it?" He asked, lowering his own fork. I shook my head.

"This is the best thing I've ever tasted, even better than Mira's cooking. I feel like my taste buds have just been asleep until now." I said smiling at him. He was about to respond when my face fell. "Don't tell Mira I said that, I don't want to face the She-Devil…" He just laughed.

"Well I'm glad you like it, Shrimp. It's my own recipe. And your secret is safe with me." He said, giving me one those genuine smiles I loved so much. We both went back to eating. I didn't think it was even possible to fall even more in love with this man, but he does love proving me wrong. After we finished, we washed up and sat down again. He took a nap while I read, staying like that for an hour.

"What're you reading?" He asked, coming closer to me to peer at the words.

"Beauty and the Beast, it's a classic." I said, not bothering to move away from his close proximity.

"What's it about?" He asked, scooting closer. I blushed slightly but still didn't move. It was like a game of chicken, and I wasn't about to lose.

"Well a woman ends up the prisoner of a terrifying beast. At first, she's scared of him, and even hates him, but then he saves her life. He even shows her his extensive library because he knows she loves to read. Gradually, she falls in love with him, and he her. Then it's her turn to save his life from the villagers. They profess their love and kiss. It turns out he was cursed to live as a beast until true love broke the spell. He turned back into a prince and they lived happily ever after. It's one of my favorites." I said, looking at him. He had a curious look on his face.

"Will-will you read it to me?" He asked, blushing slightly. I smiled and nodded before turning the page to the beginning. As I began to read aloud, he put his head on my shoulder. We stayed this way for a few hours. As I finished the story, I looked at him. He raised his head to look at me, once again looking like he was deciding something.

"Well, I should get going, I'm going on a job with Lily to dispose of some punks hiding out in the forest outside town. I'll see you bright and early tomorrow, okay Shrimp?" He got up and moved to the door. As I got up to show him out, I was reminded of my sore muscles.

"Okay, I'm going to try and relax some more before going back to the guild to pick up some more translations to do. Be safe, okay?" I asked, looking up at him. He nodded before leaving. I immediately went to start a bath, slipping into the hot water and massaging every muscle I could reach.

After the water turned cold, I got out and got dressed. It was almost five, so I made my way to the guild. When I arrived, I noticed Natsu and Lucy sitting together, talking. I was hoping he worked out his feelings for him as I saw him smiling at her. I traded my completed work for the new stuff, as well as ordered a small dinner. I sat at a table, working and nibbling on my food till about eight, before deciding to head home for the night. I changed and fell asleep instantly.


	5. Chapter 5

This pattern continued for two weeks, I was gradually getting better. I could officially do 100 pulls ups and 150 push-ups, and I could feel my magic power increasing too. It became an ongoing game, the last one there cooked for the other person. I'd always get there early, hoping to be able to eat his cooking.

"I think I'm ready to tell him, Lu. I think I'm finally strong enough. I managed to knock him back today just using an air-sand combo. I even invited him over for dinner tonight." I said, bouncing in my chair.

"That's great, Levy! I'm sure he feels the same way, he's been so much happier since you started training with him." Lucy said, sipping her tea.

"With how happy he's been, I figured you two were already incorporating some 'dirty dancing' into your training routine, if you know what I mean." Natsu chimed in from his place by Lucy, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Natsu!" We both scolded him, Lucy slapping his leg. He just snickered at my flustered face. They had become even more inseparable since he realized he loved her back. I really hope Gajeel feels the same way about me.

As I was walking home to start dinner, I tried to calm my nerves. _What if he doesn't love me back? What if he just likes teasing me? No, he doesn't smile at anyone like he smiles at me when we're alone._ I had to be confident, I had to be strong.

"Well Ain't you a cute little thing? You'd definitely make me plenty of money." A dark voice said behind me, I whirled around to face the unknown entity. He was half-hidden in the shadows, his hair the color of blood and his eyes like dark voids. He had a wicked grin, showing off his sharpened teeth and highlighting a deep scar on his jaw. He was about six inches taller than me and lanky. He had a tattoo on his neck that reminded me of a demon.

"Who are you?! Get the hell away from me!" I yelled, hoping someone could hear me. He just shook his head and clicked his tongue as if to scold me.

"That's no way to talk to your new master, girl. It looks like I'll have to break you first. Such a shame, many of my customers would pay highly for a spitfire little shrimp." He growled, reaching for me. I backed away, my heart dropping at his use of Gajeel's nickname for me. That's it! Gajeel was supposed to be here soon, maybe he could hear me if I was loud enough.

"Gajeel!" I yelled as loud as I could before a hard blow sent me reeling. I recovered quickly, and threw my fist straight into his smug mouth. He stumbled back a second, giving me time to hit him again. He wiped the blood from his mouth and looked at it.

"You little bitch!" He snarled, before lunging at me again. He managed another hard blow on the same spot, and hit me immediately in the solar plexus before I could recover this time. Before I could regain my bearings, he knocked me down to the ground. He pinned both my arms with one hand and covered my mouth with the other. He grinned wickedly as he licked my neck, making me shiver in disgust. He shifted his weight on top of me, releasing my hand to roughly squeeze at my chest. His hand trailed down to the hem of my dress, pulling it above my navel, his other hand moving to my throat to grip tightly. Even though I fought as hard as I could, black spots started taking over my vision. Just as I fell into unconsciousness, I felt his weight leave me completely.

"Shrimp! Shrimp! Come on, come back to me. Please, Levy!" A familiar voice pulled me back, the owner of it was shaking me. In a sudden panic, my eyes flew open and I sent my fist flying. I tried again to escape before being pulled into a rough embrace. "Oi, watch the fists! I already beat the bastard into the dirt." I knew that voice. The realization causing me to break down as I buried my face in his chest, sobbing hysterically. Thank God, he heard me. He just held me tightly and rubbed my back. After a few minutes, my crying subsided into quiet hiccups. I pulled back to look at him.

"Thank you, Gajeel. I guess I'm still not strong enough to protect myself. I'm still so weak…" I looked into his concerned eyes. I'd never be as strong as him, but maybe one day, I could be strong enough.

"That bastard caught you off guard, he fought dirty. Even I had a hard time with him at first. It looks like you got a good couple hits in though. Are you okay? Can you stand?" He asked, slowly helping me up. The shock causing me to collapse again, before he just picked me up and started walking towards my house. I was numb as he fished in my pocket for my key, unlocking my door and walking in. He slammed it shut again before laying me on my couch. He draped a blanket over me before disappearing into the kitchen. I just shook, before he came back with the biggest mug I own. He put it on the table, sitting down and pulling me on top of his lap. He handed me the cup and just held me as I drank. The warmth of the tea and the security of his arms helping me calm down. I finished the cup and placed it down before wrapping my arms around him.

"Did he hurt you at all? D-did he do anything?" He asked me quietly, his voice sounded pained and angry. I shook my head, a throb answering.

"Just a bump on my head, a few bruises, and a hit to my pride. Everything else, you saw. Thank you again for saving me, Gajeel, if you hadn't I would have been a goner. We should call the police before he wakes up. And Wendy because I think I broke my hand again." I said, laughing quietly and burying my face in his shoulder, I smiled as he kissed my head before getting up, wrapping me up tightly before making the calls.

Wendy arrived first, hurrying to my side with a worried look. She waited to heal me until the police arrived to ask some questions. They took shots of my head, wrists, throat, and stomach with a lacrima camera before Wendy went to heal them. They ignored my hand because I broke it punching Gajeel after the fact. When they were done, I was alone with Gajeel again. The last two hours had taken its toll and I was on the verge of falling asleep. Gajeel stood and made towards the door, but I grabbed his hand.

"Please don't leave, I don't want to be alone tonight." I begged, tightly hold onto him like an anchor. He just smiled down at me.

"Don't worry, I ain't leaving, just locking the door." He said, softly. I nodded and let go of him. After locking the door, he came back and picked me up. "Let's get you in bed, it's been a long day." He carried me into my room and laid me down, tucking the covers over me. When he was satisfied, he moved to leave. This time I grabbed his hand with both of mine.

"Where are you going?" I asked him, trying to tug him closer.

"I'll just be downstairs on the couch if you need me." He replied, trying to escape my desperate grasp.

"No, please stay with me. I need you next to me, Gajeel." I pleaded, pulling him again and ignoring my warming cheeks. This time, he moved closer, a blush on his face to rival mine. I didn't care how weak I looked, I needed the warmth of his arms to feel safe. He took off his boots and shirt, staying in his shorts from earlier, and climbed in next to me. He wrapped his arms around me and I pressed my face to his bare chest.

"I'm sorry I didn't get to you sooner, Levy. I should have been there with you in the first place. I want to protect you from everything that would harm you. You mean a lot to me, the world, actually. I…" He trailed off, pulling me closer. My heart was beating faster with each word. _I mean the world to him? Does that mean…_

"You what, Gajeel?" I asked, hoping for those three words I've longed to tell him and hear from him for so long now. I decided even if he doesn't say it, I could be happy just being with him. I pulled away to look at him face, his cheeks were the color of Erza's hair now. He looked into my eyes before closing his and sighing. After a couple of seconds, he opened his eyes again and smiled down at me.

"I love you, Levy. I have for a long time now. I always thought I couldn't tell you because of our past, I figured you couldn't love a monster. But I don't want to hide it anymore." He said, quietly. I stiffened in shock, not actually expecting those words. He's far from a monster, he's my savior. At my response, his confidence wavered, before I realized I wasn't dreaming. I smiled up at him, tears in my eyes.

"I love you too, for possibly just as long. But I always thought you could never love a weakling like me. That's why I tried so hard to get stronger. I thought if I got strong enough I could tell you." I whispered, knowing he could hear me perfectly. I was so happy I forgot the fear and weakness that had been eating at me all night. His expression went from shock to what I can only describe as extreme happiness.

He grabbed my chin, lifting my face to his, before catching my lips in a gentle, chaste kiss. He pulled away too soon, and I was having none of it. I attacked his lips with mine, the pent-up doubt and frustration breaking from the flood gates. Two years (or nine, I guess) of loving this infuriating man leading to the most passionate kiss in my inexperienced life. He kissed me back with the same ferocity, years of doubt and guilt fueling his passion. When we broke for air, I felt reborn. My insecurity washed away by his love. I smiled at his flustered face before settling back on his chest.

"Damn, Shorty. That was one hell of a first kiss, how'd you get so good?" He mumbled, looking down at me. I just giggled and buried my face in his chest.

"That was actually my first kiss, but thanks." I smiled at him, blushing slightly.

"Mine too. Now I can see what people are talking about. I feel like I could kiss you for eternity. In fact, I fully intend to…" He said, pulling me to his lips again before I could register his words. _Wait, I was his first kiss? Wait, ETERNITY?!_ The next break for air, I just looked down at him. _He really loves me. He wants to spend eternity with me._ I smiled, realizing I did too. This man was the most infuriating being I had ever met. He was crass, rude, violent, and stubborn. And I knew I would never want anyone else.

"For eternity, huh? I think that's manageable, Black Steel." I giggled at him. He chuckled back, pushing my head back to his chest.

"Get some rest, Shrimp. Tomorrow is going to be a long day, and I think we've had enough excitement for today." He said, quietly. I smiled, closing my eyes as he kissed my head. I fell asleep quickly in the loving embrace.

I know it's been a while, I've been pretty caught up with getting married and planning a move. Please leave some reviews so I can know if I need to work on anything. Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

Gajeel's POV

 _Holy shit… Holy. Shit. She actually loves me back! Thank God, she's asleep so she can't hear how hard my heart is pounding. I'm so over the moon I almost forgot about that asshole who attacked her. Oh well, I doubt he'll be walking any time soon. And I guess without that happening, I wouldn't have my little Shrimp all curled up next to me. Gihee she is snoring, and it's adorable. Oh god, am I soft now? Nah I'm just happy, I could still kick anyone's ass._ I wrapped her up tighter in my arms as I drifted off to sleep myself.

Levy's POV

I woke up with the sun shining in my face and the smell of pancakes and bacon drifting into my room. I smiled to myself, _Gajeel._ I could start to like mornings if he keeps this up. I tumbled out of bed, having gotten caught in the sheets, and headed to the kitchen. The sight that greeted me is one I'll never forget. There he is, this big muscled man, cooking in nothing but his underwear and my pink apron. I was torn between admiring the view and laughing at the sight. Instead, my body chose for me, as I approached him and hugged him from behind.

"Good morning, Shrimp. Sleep well?" He asked, turning off the stove and turning to face me. He took one look at him and started laughing himself. His laugh is so infectious, I started laughing too, although I'm sure at different things. "Oi, what are you laughing at?" He asked me, a smile pulling at his otherwise suddenly stoic face.

"Just your outfit. Who knew you could rock a pink apron?" I said, still giggling. "Why, what are you laughing at?"

"Your bedhead. How can it be worse than mine?" With that statement, he started laughing again. My hands flew up to my hair, only to find it sticking in every direction. I pouted at him, which just made him laugh harder. I grabbed the straps of the apron and tugged, the surprise making him lean down. I used the momentum to kiss him, hard, just to shut him up. And it worked, when I pulled away, he looked good and flustered. I may enjoy this new side of him. I peeked passed him to look at the food. He noticed my gaze and handed me my plate. "Here, eat and then do something about that rat's nest." He said, kissing my head.

"Thanks, you didn't have to make me breakfast." I said, grabbing a mug for tea and setting it to brew. He just shrugged and sat down to eat. Once my tea was done, I joined him. His food was already half gone. "Is your stomach like a black hole or something?" I asked, equally curious and disgusted. I could never get used to the way dragon slayers eat.

"Better eat quick or I'll eat yours too." He said, in a mocking tone. I took him seriously and dug in. How does he make such perfect pancakes? I ate everything on my plate happily. I need to learn to cook that well.

"Who taught you to cook anyway?" I asked, snuggling closer to him.

"I taught myself, it was a lot of trial and error. You would not want to taste my pancakes six years ago, trust me. I can teach you if you want." He said, smiling that same genuine smile I love so much. I nodded happily, getting up to go shower. It was about eleven, about time to go to the guild I'd say. At that thought, my face dropped. Gajeel looked worried asked me "What's wrong, Shorty?"

"I just realized, we are going to have to tell the guild everything that happened. There's no way we can hide it." I said, defeated. Being in a guild is like having about 100 nosy brothers and sisters, we're going to spend the entire day answering questions.

"So, what? You're mine now and everyone is still scared of me. We'll just tell them the truth, I beat the shit out of some creep who attacked you, you professed your love for me and I spent the night." He smirked, enjoying his story telling.

"You make it sound so crude… We'll just say you saved me from a creep, we both admitted our feelings, and we kissed. That version sounds a lot more realistic, and I don't sound as much like a damsel in distress." I said, preferring my story.

"I prefer mine more. And to be realistic, you were absolutely the damsel in distress. If I remember correctly, you were yelling for me to save you." He said, smugly.

"That's just because I knew you were nearby, and the guy was fighting dirty, you said so yourself. If he didn't, I would have beat him no problem. And plus, you professed your love first, PRINCESS." I said, feeling a bit snarky.

"AFTER, you called out my name in your time of need. And besides, I'm no princess, if anything I'd be QUEEN." He said, laughing. That last sentence had me laughing too.

"Well you certainly look the part in that gorgeous apron, and your flowing hair." I said, laughing even harder.

"Oi! Well anyway, I think I need to teach you to fight dirty right back so you can defend yourself better if I somehow get beat." He replied, suddenly serious.

"What if you aren't around to get beat first? What if it's another surprise attack?" I asked. Surely, he wouldn't be around all the time, he lived across town.

"I ain't letting you out of my sight, Shorty. You're finally mine, now you'll learn why dragons get called greedy all the time." He said, a threatening tone in his voice. He started approaching me slowly, bringing up his arms and hunching over, as if to pounce any second. I squeaked and started running to my room. "Big mistake, Shorty. Dragon's also love the chase." He roared, coming after me. I just barely made it into my room before he picked me up and threw me on the bed. Before I could reorient myself, he was on top of me, caging me with his body. I wasn't scared, I trust Gajeel with my life. He would never hurt me.

"Well, it looks like you caught your prey, now what?" I asked, lifting my head to kiss his chin. He smiled evilly and ducked his head down to kiss my neck. I was enjoying this new sensation, suddenly there's a stinging feeling. He had started biting my neck, working his way to my collarbone. This was causing all sorts of new sensations, all seem to be going to my core. He reached my collarbone and licked back up to my ear, making me gasp. "Gajeel!" I managed to get out, before he gave the other side the same treatment.

"You taste amazing. Now go get ready, we have to face the music with the other." He said, grinning and lifting himself off me. I wiggled my way to the edge of the bed, getting up to shower. As I stood up, he slapped my ass, causing another squeal to escape my lips. "No shower, I like the way you smell now, everyone will know you're mine." He said, sternly. I gave him a confused look but decided not to shower to keep him happy. I grabbed the clothes I wanted to wear for the day and went into the bathroom to change and brush my hair. Just to test his reaction, I turned on the shower. A split second later, he busts in and turns it off, giving me a stern look.

"Wow, you weren't kidding, were you? That was a pretty quick reaction time." I giggled. He just huffed and left the room again. I shut the door and got ready. When I emerged, he was sitting on my bed, wearing his clothes from the day before. "Do you want to stop by your place for new clothes?" I asked him.

"Nah, this is fine. It still smells clean. I don't sweat easily." He said, casually. He got up and grabbed my hand, leading me to the door. We left the house and made our way to the guild, holding hands the entire way. I could be mistaken, but Gajeel looked mighty proud of himself, like he was displaying our relationship for the world. We arrived at the guild and braced ourselves before opening the door. We walked in and were immediately the center of attention.

"Well look at this! Do we have a new couple in the guild?" Cana slurred, while Lucy and Mira were both squealing with delight.

"Hello Gajeel, hello Levy. I believe congratulations are in order. I'm very happy for the both of you." Lily said, flying up to greet us. The other dragon slayers kept their distance but yelled their congrats as well. Gajeel mumbled something about it being the fact that I smell like him. Erza and Master walked over and glared at Gajeel for at least a solid minute. I think I saw him start to sweat a little bit. Eventually they just smiled and congratulated us as well, much to Gajeel's relief.

"Juvia is so happy for you both! Love is in the air, now hopefully Gray-sama will catch it. Now, tell us, how did this happen?" She asked, happily. I just groaned.

"Well, you see, I was heading to her house for dinner when all of the sudden-OW!" Gajeel yelped in pain when I elbowed his ribs. I know full well what story he wanted to use.

"I was attacked on my way home last night, and Gajeel was in the area and managed to fight the creep off. After we dealt with the police, we started talking. We both realized we've had feelings for each other for a long time and just never said anything. Any other questions?" I said, trying to sound as authoritative as possible.

"Yeah! When's the wedding?" Cana said, slurring over her speech even more. At that, my face turned beat red.

"I'm a dragon slayer, drunk. We find mates, not wives." Gajeel Yelled over to her. My face got even redder.

"Mates?" I asked, looking up at him. He just smiled down at me, that same pride shining on his face. We are going to have a serious talk when we're alone again.

"Are you both happy?" Master asked, looking at me. I just nodded at smiled up at Gajeel. I'm the happiest I've ever felt. When I looked at the crowd again, I noticed Jet and Droy sulking in the corner. I walked over to them and sat down.

"What's wrong you guys?" I asked them, concerned. They just looked at me, then up at Gajeel.

"Does he treat you right?" Jet asked, Droy just kept sulking.

"He's a perfect gentleman. He treats me perfectly, and I'm incredibly happy. Now can you both be happy for me?" I asked both of them. This seemed to break them out of their mood as they both smiled at me.

"Just as long as he doesn't hurt you again, I can accept it." Jet said, looking sternly at Gajeel. I looked up at him to see his face was covered in guilt for what he did when we first met. I grabbed his hand and squeezed to reassure him. He smiled sadly at me.

"Now, how about a job?" I asked, happily. It's been forever since Team Shadowgear has seen some action. They perked up even more at this, even agreeing to Gajeel coming along. We went up to the request board to find a job we all could agree on. Gajeel found one for defeating a giant monster that's been terrorizing a village, Jet found a request for a speedy delivery, Droy found one asking for help getting their crops to bloom. I found one that was asking for help defeating monster in the forest that had managed to outrun or beat every wizard it came up against. After some healthy debate, we decided on the request I picked, as it highlighted each of our abilities.

"We'll all meet at the train station tomorrow at eight and head out. We should be back by the day after tomorrow so pack accordingly. We'll see you guys tomorrow." I said, waving goodbye to my team as they left to prepare. We sat down next to Lucy and Natsu and talked for a while. We had quite a few questions for the boys about this mate business.

"Well, to put it simply, dragons mate for life. And just as we inherited that magic, we inherited their traditions and traits. The moment we meet our mate we feel drawn to them, and eventually that attraction leads to a strong bond. It's so strong that even a human can feel it, and it's only broken after death. But it's only binding when both parties recognize it and confess to the other. Natsu never learned much about it since he was still pretty young, which is why he didn't know what to do after Lucy confessed to him." Gajeel stated casually. We both listened intently and Natsu had the face of a petulant child being scolded. Well this explains quite a lot, like how suddenly I don't want to be away from him. Or why he said he wanted to be with me for an eternity.

We hung out at the guild for a few more hours, I worked on translations while Gajeel talked to Lily or napped. When I finished the stack I had, I turned them in and roused my sleepy mate. We decided dinner tonight would be at his house. I couldn't wait to see where he lived, I simply knew it was across town. When we arrived, I was surprised to see a modest little house, a bit bigger than mine, and in good shape. I also noticed a lot of the outside was comprised of metal.

"I bought this place for cheap because it needed repairs. I did most of the structural and outside work with my magic and Lily helped with the inside and the decorating. I promise I don't live in a big metal den. Come on, I'll show you around." He put his hand on my lower back and ushered me inside. The inside was just as unexpected as the outside. Instead of metal walls, everything was painted a light green or a soft grey color. The carpets were all black plush, with hardwood in the kitchen. Lily had already seated himself on their big black couch and had turned on their big lacrima vision. There were bins of scrap metal in every room, no doubt for Gajeel to snack on in case he got hungry. The kitchen was bigger than mine and had more fancy appliances and a bigger fridge. It was a nice place to live, not like the shack I expected.

We decided on chicken parmesan for dinner, I prepped the chicken and Gajeel made some marinara from scratch. Lily came in and prepared a chopped salad to go on the side. When it was all done, we sat down to eat. Dinner was delicious and we all had a pleasant conversation about the upcoming mission, and my future appearances in the house. It was nice but I liked having my own space for my work and all my books. Gajeel promised to build a few extra rooms to accommodate my needs and I agreed to move in once they were completed. After dinner, we decided to play a card game Gajeel introduced me to called poker. He and Lily kept winning because they could see my reaction and they managed to keep straight faces the entire time. After a couple hours of losing I was ready for bed so we said goodnight and headed upstairs to Gajeel's room.

"Wow, nice room. And that's a huge bed! I don't think I'd even take up half of it if I spread out." I marveled, much to his amusement. His room had black walls and a deep red carpet, his bedding was black as well and he had multiple bins of iron by the bed. The bathroom was attached but I decided I was too tired to explore right now. I realized I forgot to grab clothes to sleep in and looked around for a shirt I could wear. "You don't mind, do you?" I asked him.

"Go right ahead, Shorty. Although I won't mind if you also decide to sleep naked." He said in a low tone, winking at me. I blushed, deciding it's not quite appropriate yet, and changed in the bathroom. It was also big, with a huge tub and two sinks with a wall length mirror. I never expected Gajeel to live in such a fancy house. When I came back out, Gajeel was laying on the bed facing me. He looked me up and down and gave an approving grin and a wink. I just sighed and climbed into bed next to him.

"Goodnight, Gajeel. Remember, we should be up early to meet Jet and Droy. And I want to go home and pack first." I said, kissing him briefly before settling under the covers. He pulled me close to him, my back against his chest.

"Goodnight, Levs. I'll make sure we are up early enough, although don't blame me if I have to resort to drastic measures to get you up. When I tried to get you up this morning, you smacked me, which is why I left you to sleep while I made breakfast. You're not a morning person at all." He said, laughing and nuzzling his nose into my hair. We were both quickly asleep.


End file.
